


What Could've Been

by MoonxKitsune



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azran Legacy Spoilers, Cozy, Day in the life of the Bronev family, Descriptive childbirth, F/M, Hershel loves his brother, I freaking love this family, I love this family, Leon is a good dad, Please excuse the bad grammar, There is no logic in this story, There's like no medical logic or anything here for the sake of an interesting story, This family had so much potential, please understand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:28:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27823741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonxKitsune/pseuds/MoonxKitsune
Summary: Cozy stories about the Bronev family
Relationships: Leon Bronev & Hershel Bronev, Leon Bronev & Theodore Bronev, Leon Bronev/Rachel Bronev
Kudos: 3





	1. School Days

Leon Bronev couldn't help but stare at the girl sitting next to him. Her name was Rachel. When she caught him staring, he quickly looked away, blushing. She was an archeology student, but she also had a knack for drawing and painting. She was beautiful too. She had wavy brown hair, and the way the sun revealed it’s reddish tones was breath-taking. She was very slim. Her eyes were dark brown. Almost black. They were dark and shiny. Her smile was the prettiest Leon had ever seen. She was also uncommonly kind and smart. Best of all, they were somewhat friends. 

After Leon was done with his classes for the day, he packed his stuff and got ready to leave. Rachel was walking out. He blushed again. He walked out. The sky was a little gray, a fusion of clouds coming . He was lost in thought when his foot hit something.  
“What’s this?” Leon mumbled as he bent to pick it up. It was a notebook. He turned it over. It said,  
“Property of Rachel-”  
As soon as Leon read that name, he didn’t read any longer. This was Rachel’s notebook. She probably needed it back. He quickly walked up to a girl who was fumbling with something in her bag.

“Excuse me?” Leon asked.  
“Yes?” The girl asked, looking up.  
“Do you happen to know where Rachel lives?” he asked.  
“Oh Rachel? She lives around there.” the girl pointed into the distance.  
“Thank you so much!” he said. The girl nodded in reply, then went back to her bag.  
Leon couldn’t believe his luck. Rachel’s flat was near his. He jogged to her flat, as he didn’t want to appear sweaty and tired when he arrived. When he got to her door, he put down the notebook slowly and quietly, and then wiped his forehead with a small cloth. He tried to flatten his hair, which didn’t work with his naturally fluffy hair. He straightened his clothes. He took a deep breath, and picked up the notebook again.  
Leon knocked. He heard footsteps from the other side, then saw the knob turn. 

“Hello?” a gentle voice said.  
“Hello.” Leon said, trying to be as calm as possible.  
“Oh! Hello Leon! You took me quite by surprise there.” Rachel said, smiling.  
Leon blushed. God, why did her smile have to make him blush every time? He cleared his throat.  
“Um, I found your notebook on the ground, I thought you would like it back.” he said.  
“Oh, so that’s why I couldn’t find it!” She said. She took her notebook from Leon.  
“Thank you so much!” she said, hugging the book to her chest.  
“It was no problem, happy to help.” Leon said, rubbing his neck. “Uh, I’ll be on my way then-” Leon said.  
“Are you sure you want to head out right now..? It’s raining quite a bit. Would you like to come in until it slows down?” Rachel said, concerned.  
Leon could hear the fierce pitter-patter of raindrops on the rooftop.  
“I'll be fine, I live near here anyways.” Leon said.  
“It would be awful if you caught a cold though. At least until it slows down for a bit, I insist.” Rachel said.  
“W-well, um, thank you.” Leon said.  
He walked into her flat. It was small, like all the flats the university provided. Her bed and desk were on one side. Her desk was scattered with books and papers. Her kitchen was mostly empty. There was a canvas on a stand with small bottles of paints on the floor.  
“You can sit down if you’d like…” Rachel said tentatively as she gestured to another chair next to hers. Leon gently took the chair.  
“I’m sorry it’s a little messy.” Rachel said, looking guilty.  
“What? No, no, it adds a certain charm to the place.” Leon said, smiling.  
“Oh, uh thank you.” Rachel said.  
It wasn’t long before they were in full conversation, not even realizing that the rain had stopped. The sky was a mix of oranges and yellows.  
“Oh, I never knew we were talking for this long. I should probably get going.” Leon said.  
“Yes, the rain has stopped too.” Rachel said. “It was enjoyable talking to you.”  
“Oh, l-likewise! It was an honor getting to know you more.” Leon stuttered. He was probably very red in the face. He put his hand through his hair. He walked to the door.  
“W-well, I’ll s-see you around then.” Leon said, opening the door.  
“Yes, goodbye. Have a good evening!” Rachel said, smiling again. Leon smiled and nodded. He walked out as quickly as possible. After he opened the door to his flat, he immediately flopped onto his bed. He calmed down a bit, and felt less hot in the face. He sighed.  
He was so lucky to be friends with Rachel.


	2. It Starts Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon asks Rachel to be his girlfriend

They had been really good friends for a couple of months now. Leon and Rachel were seen together a lot.   
Leon decided to ask the question once and for all. He wouldn’t get anywhere without making the first move.   
“Rachel?” Leon asked as they were walking to their flats after a long day of classes.   
“Yes Leon?” she replied.  
“Erm, could we walk to the big hill at around seven? I have to tell you something.” Leon asked. Rachel looked surprised, then blushed.  
“O-of course. I’ll be there.” Rachel said. Her face was slightly pink.   
Leon was waiting at Rachel’s flat. He was a little nervous. Rachel walked out.  
“Hello Leon. Sorry I took long.” Rachel apologized.  
“What? No, you didn’t take long at all.” Leon said, reassuring Rachel. They walked to the hill that was surrounded by forestry. Once they reached the top, a beautiful view awaited them.   
They sat down, admiring the view. The sun was setting, the sky having radiant yellows and vibrant pinks and oranges. Leon cleared his throat.   
“Uhm, Rachel?” Leon said, looking at her.  
“Yes?” she replied looking back, but looking away seconds after. Leon’s red eyes stared into her dark ones.   
“So, I… I’ve had feelings for you for a long time…” Leon said. Rachel gasped quietly. They both blushed. Silence grew, and Leon knew he made the wrong move. 

“I.. I like you too, Leon…” Rachel said tentatively.   
“Really!?” Leon said, eyes wide.   
“Yes.. after we talked on that rainy day, I realized what a nice friend you were. I started developing feelings for you after that… I’m sorry I kept it from you..” Rachel apologized.   
“N-no! I’m so happy that you also like me..” Leon said, blushing furiously.   
They smiled at each other.   
“Rachel?” Leon asked.  
“Yes, Leon?” Rachel said. She looked straight into Leon’s eyes.   
“Will you be my girlfriend?” Leon asked. Rachel giggled.  
“Yes.” she replied. They both laughed, then hugged. They both walked to their flats, just looking at each other. They kept the silence between them when they walked to Rachel’s flat.   
“Well, I see you tomorrow then.” Rachel said.   
“Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Leon said. He still had hints of a smile on his face.   
“Oh before I go..” Rachel said, walking towards Leon.   
She planted a small kiss on his cheek. Leon’s eyes widened, and then he pulled Rachel into a tight embrace, and kissed her under the moonlit sky.


	3. She said the word that would change his life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon asks Rachel a very important question; Will she say yes, or will she say no?

It had been more than a year since they started dating. They graduated from university. Leon was officially an archaeologist. Rachel was too, and she was also an artist. They were content. They were happy. Until Leon’s love for Rachel got even deeper. He was only twenty-three, but he was almost ready to do it.  
After weeks of debating whether he would do it or not, he officially chose to do it. He grabbed the phone, and dialed Rachel’s house. He waited for Rachel’s gentle voice on the other end.  
“Hello?” Rachel’s voice said from the other end.  
“Hey sweetheart.” Leon said.  
“Oh, hello Leon! Is everything okay, or did you just want to call?” Rachel said, slightly giggling.   
“Well, I want to ask you something.” Leon said.  
“Okay.” Rachel said.   
“Let’s meet at the big lake this evening.” he said.  
“The lake where we saw the big carp jump out?” Rachel asked. Leon chuckled at that memory. He and Rachel were hanging out at a big lake, when a huge fish jumped out. Rachel was startled, and accidentally fell backwards into Leon’s arms.  
“Yes. That lake.” he said, still smiling.  
“Okay. Should I come to your house?” she asked.   
“Yes, and make sure to dress extra special.” Leon replied.  
“Okay! See you then!” Rachel said.  
“Mhm! Love you so much.” Leon said, getting ready to hang up.  
“I love you too.” Rachel replied. After he made sure Rachel hung up, he felt his heart beating. It was official. There was no turning back now. He wanted to make this day memorable. This day could change their lives!   
Leon was dressed in a nice shirt, with a casual but elegant navy-blue jacket. He gripped the ring box, then put it in his pocket. He would put it there for now. Now all he could do was wait for Rachel.   
He heard a knock at the door. He opened the door, and was taken aback with what he saw.   
Rachel was beautiful. Radiant as the sun. She was in a simple, dark gray dress that went a little below her knees. She was gorgeous, even in the simplest of clothings.  
“R-Rachel! You’re here!” Leon sputtered.   
“Just as you told me too. Am.. am I wearing too much..?” she asked hesitantly, looking slightly guilty.   
“N-no! You’re so beautiful, t-that I got surprised!” he said. Rachel smiled.  
“Thank you Leon. You look quite nice too.” she said calmly. Leon unconsciously straightened his jacket and his clothes with his hand as he heard those words. He was probably smiling like an idiot right now.   
“W-well, shall we be going?” Leon said, offering his hand. Rachel daintily took it as they walked out. They walked to the lake, talking about the simplest things; the sky, the days of the week, assignments they had in university, and so on. The sun was setting, and the sky was reflecting off the sparkling water. Trees swayed as a soft breeze blew through the air.   
“You’re a wonderful boyfriend, you know that Leon?” Rachel said, her eyes not going off the lake. Leon blushed. He hadn’t expected that.  
“You’re the loveliest girlfriend Rachel. I wouldn’t ask for anyone different.” Leon said. He gently took Rachel’s hands, and looked at her as they made eye contact. It was now or never. He cleared his throat, and began to speak.   
“Rachel.. I.. I love you so much. Every second that I am your boyfriend is precious to me, and it makes me the luckiest person in the world. I can’t imagine a content life without you.” Leon began.  
Rachel gasped as he went down on one knee, and presented the ring box.   
“So will you make me the luckiest, happiest, most blessed man on earth… and marry me?” he finished. He looked at Rachel for any negative body language. Her eyes were sparkling with tears, her hands covering her mouth. His heart was beating out of his chest. Even the few milliseconds were hard to bear. Did he fail? Did he-  
“Yes! Oh my word, Leon, of course!” Rachel cried. Leon felt his heart explode as he heard that one word that changed his life. He swung Rachel into his arms, laughing and crying mixed together. He did it. He was getting married to Rachel. He was getting married to the love of his life.   
The wedding was quiet, a small wedding for the family. As Leon saw his soon-to-be wife walking down the aisle in a beautiful white dress, he felt his heart flutter. He tried not to cry. He didn’t want to look like a mess for his wedding. As soon as the vows were said, and he kissed his wife, he felt accomplished. He was onto the next step of life. He would be the husband of Rachel Bronev. He was now forever bonded with Rachel, and together, they would write the next chapter of life so forth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay guys, so I know there's like no logic but it's like in the 1920s in England so their lifestyle is probably different   
> I barely elaborated on their wedding, sorry 😅  
> Next chapter coming soon, I'm writing like 3 fanfics at once, since all of them have multiple chapters  
> Hope you all have a nice day :)


	4. We've barely scratched the surface of happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Rachel discover the outcomes of their bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fanfic is really bad, but I love this family xd

They bought a house in a small village. They had bought the house because of Rachel’s subtle illness. Her lungs needed fresh air. The house had extra rooms. Now that they were married, there could be a potential family living in this house. 

“Rachel, are you sure you want to do this? We don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Leon said as Rachel walked into their bedroom.   
“Leon, I want to do this. I’m ready to take this next step.” Rachel said, sitting down on her side of the bed.   
“..Alright then.. Thank you Rachel.” Leon said. Rachel smiled warmly as they snuggled up against each other. Rachel rested against Leon’s bare chest as he fulfilled his role. They worked through the night, kissing, cuddling, kissing, bonding with each other, and more kissing. They fell asleep on top of each other, only to wake up tired, naked, with their faces red as ripe strawberries.   
Leon called the hospital to make an appointment. They would be finding out if they accomplished their goal in three days.  
Those three days passed, and they drove to the hospital, anxious. They walked to the receptionist.  
“Hello. Do you have an appointment?” the woman at the front asked.  
“Yes, my wife has an appointment.” Leon said.  
“The woman fingered through some papers, and then told them that they should go to the room down the hall on their right. They both thanked the woman then walked hastily to the room. Rachel knocked, and a kind-looking elderly woman opened the door.  
“Hello! Are you here for the appointment?” she asked kindly, gesturing for them to come in.  
“Yes.” Rachel replied, smiling.   
“Alright, follow me.” the doctor said, standing up. Rache followed her, and was gone for quite a bit.   
Rachel opened the door and sat back down next to Leon. Leon took her hand in his and squeezed it.   
“Are you ready to hear the results?” the doctor asked.  
“Yes.” they both said at the same time.   
“Congratulations! You should be expecting a baby in about nine months.” the doctor said.   
Leon’s jaw went to the floor, eyes wide. Rachel gasped quietly. He embraced Rachel, who was laughing softly. They walked back to their car. They both knew that Rachel getting pregnant had a very high chance, especially since it was their intention. The fact that they were going to be parents was… exciting, nerve-wracking, shocking, all mixed feelings into one. They drove in silence, but it wasn’t a bad, empty void of silence. It was like a silence to honor something. The silence continued as they arrived at the door of their house. They both grinned at each other.  
“Leon, you’re going to be a father…” Rachel began. His grin grew when he thought of himself holding a small child in his arms, less than a year away.  
“And you’re going to be a mother…” Leon replied.   
“I love you..” Rachel said.  
“I-I love you too Rachel. I love you so much.” Leon said. “And I love you too.” he said, kneeling down to Rachel’s stomach area. They both laughed, and prayed for the little life inside Rachel to grow healthy and safe.


	5. Guaranteed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Rachel find out the gender of their child. Will it be a boy, or a girl?

It had been a few months since the start of Rachel’s pregnancy. Rachel’s stomach was getting slightly bigger, and it fascinated Leon. Was his child really in there? He needed to wait about six more months until his baby boy or girl arrived. He refused to let Rachel pick up anything heavy or low on the ground. Rachel jokingly said he was being too overprotective, but he wasn’t taking any chances. 

“Leon?” Rachel said on a lovely evening in their living room.  
“Yes sweetheart?” Leon said.  
“What do you want to name the baby?” she said, looking dreamily outside the window. Leon thought about his baby a lot, but surprisingly, he never thought of a name for him/her.  
“Hmm.. if it’s a boy then..” Leon thought loudly.  
“What about Raymond?” Leon said, looking at Rachel.  
“Hm.. I feel like Raymond was more popular in our generation.” Rachel said.  
“Yes, I agree. I just took a name from someone three years above me in grade school.” Leon said, chuckling. Rachel smiled, a small laugh slipping from her lips. Both of them were lost in thought for a couple of minutes.  
“..What about… Hershel? If it’s a boy?” Leon said thoughtfully. Rachel’s face changed in agreement.  
“That’s a wonderful name!” she said.  
“What if it’s a girl though?” Leon questioned.  
They just stared at the gray screen of their television, hoping name ideas would pop out. Leon suddenly had a wave of name ideas come rushing to him.  
“What about Brenda?” he said.  
“Brenda sounds nice.. Do you have any other name ideas?” Rachel asked.  
“Angela?” Leon asked.  
“Angela is a little…” Rachel began.  
“Fancy for our tastes, right?” Leon finished. Rachel nodded, then she suddenly looked downcast..  
“I’m sorry I’m being picky..” Rachel apologized.  
“Rachel, you’re not being picky! We both want the best for our child, without any regrets, right?” Leon said, trying to reassure Rachel. Her lips curved upwards slightly.  
“You’re right. Thank you Leon.” Rachel said.  
“Anything for you. What about Claire?” Leon said. Rachel’s eyes lit up.  
“That is a gorgeous name! Let’s name the baby Claire if it’s a girl.” Rachel said brightly. Leon beamed. They chose names now. He would be the father of a boy Hershel, or a girl, Claire. 

A couple of more months passed and Rachel’s stomach was rounded in front of her. They were awed when they first saw the baby kick. Then one day, Rachel’s doctor said they could probably see what the gender was. This was exciting news. They would be finding out if they would be having a son or a daughter.  
When they reached the hospital to see what the gender was, Leon was nervous and excited. He walked into the room where they would give Rachel the ultrasound. They both patiently waited while the doctor searched for the baby and wrote stuff down on her paper.  
“Are you ready to know what gender your baby will be?” the doctor finally said.  
“Yes, we are ready.” Leon said. He looked at Rachel, who also looked excited.  
“Congratulations, it’s a boy!” the doctor said. Both Leon and Rachel gasped, then smiled from ear to ear. A boy! Leon knew that they would both be going home with smiles on their faces, guaranteed that Rachel was carrying Hershel Bronev, and that’s what they did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so sorry this fanfic is turning out really bad, I have the story in my head but I can't express it well :'C! My grammar is also terrible.  
> Also I realized my chapters are super short, I'll try to make them longer.  
> Thank you for the small population that reads my fanfics!


	6. The Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel goes into labor with Hershel Bronev

Rachel was halfway through her ninth month of pregnancy. Leon didn’t go to digs or archaeological sites anymore. He stopped going once Rachel reached her fourth month, in fact he decreased the amount of work he did in a day by a lot. He needed to be ready, as the baby’s due date was in about two weeks. Rachel’s stomach shot out in front of her, round and firm. One of Leon’s favorite things to do was putting his ear against her stomach. 

“The baby moved again. I must say, that was one big turn.” Leon said, taking his head away from her stomach.   
“Yes, I agree.” Rachel said, her eyebrows suddenly furrowing.   
“What’s wrong honey?” Leon said, concerned.   
“Nothing, it’s just slightly painful. It’s probably normal.” she replied. Leon’s eyebrows furrowed in deep concern.  
“Do we need to go to hospital?!” Leon said.   
“Relax Leon, I’ll be fine. I’m sure it’s normal.” Rachel said, touching Leon’s face gently with her hand. Leon exhaled, his forehead smoothing out.   
“A-Alright. Maybe you’ll feel better if we go to sleep.” he said, getting up. He helped Rachel walk up the stairs and into their bedroom.   
They were lying down in their bed. Leon exposed Rachel’s stomach one last time. He put his ear to it.   
“Does it still hurt Rachel?” Leon asked.  
“A little, but really, I’ll be fine.” Rachel replied. She rubbed her stomach with one hand.   
“We should probably get to sleep.” Leon said. Rachel nodded in agreement.   
“Goodnight Hershel.” Leon said, giving Rachel’s stomach a light kiss before turning off the lights. Rachel giggled, then covered her round stomach with her dress.  
“Goodnight Rachel.” Leon said.   
“Goodnight Leon.” Rachel said warmly. 

Leon yawned. Sunlight streamed through their window. Rachel was sitting up in bed, staring off into space, both hands protecting her baby bump.   
“Good morning Rachel.” Leon said. Rachel turned her head and looked into Leon. She looked tired.   
“Good morning Leon.” she said. Leon leaned over to kiss her.  
“Rachel are you absolutely sure you’re okay?” Leon asked. He made sure real concern was showing on his face.  
“Well.. it’s hurting a bit more than yesterday. The pain comes and goes, but I’m thinking of going to the doctor today.” Rachel replied.   
“Then we’re going.” Leon declared, jumping out of bed, changing out of his night clothes.   
“What?” Rachel utterted.   
“We’re going to the doctors. What if you or the baby is at risk?” Leon asked. Rachel sighed.  
“Alright then. But let’s eat breakfast first.” Rachel replied, changing into her day clothes. Leon, once again, kneeled down and bonded with Rachel’s stomach. He nuzzled it, wrapped his hands around it, and gave it a final kiss before getting back up again. Rachel chuckled. Leon and Rachel walked down the stairs and towards the kitchen. Leon stopped when he heard Rachel’s voice.  
“Leon..?” Rachel said. Her voice was extremely worried. Leon turned around. There was water on the floor, some of it still trickling down Rachel’s leg. Leon’s eyes were the size of watermelons.   
“Wha- w- we need to get to hospital now!” Leon exclaimed. Leon didn’t know what to do.   
“Leon.” Rachel said firmly. He stopped.   
“Relax. I’ll be fine. I can walk.” Rachel said calmly.   
“B-but your water ju-just broke!” Leon stammered.   
“I know, okay? It doesn’t hurt that much right now, so let’s walk to the car when I can walk without assistance, okay Leon?” Rachel said, trying to comfort Leon. She convinced him to take a deep breath and walk to the car. Leon couldn’t believe this. He didn’t know whether to be worried or elated. It was two weeks early! He was going to be a dad today. The next time they entered this house, they would be bringing home his baby boy. Leon drove to the hospital quickly. When they arrived, he helped Rachel up, and almost sprinted to the hospital entrance.   
“Hello sir. Do you have an-” the woman at the front began.  
“My wife. Her water broke.” Leon interrupted. The woman quickly directed them to a delivery room. Rachel’s footsteps were getting slower and heavier every second. When they finally entered their room, the doctors immediately assisted Rachel, and helped her inside the room.   
“Sir, I’m going to have to have you leave the room for a couple of minutes.” a doctor said. Leon was confused.   
“Why? Can I come in later?” Leon asked frantically.   
“Yes, of course. She just needs to put on her gown, and we need to do a couple of tests.” the doctor said, leading him to the door. Leon waited outside, walking back and forth. After what seemed like forever, he was finally let back in. He was directed to a chair next to Rachel’s bed, and immediately went to her side, holding her hand. She welcomed him with a warm smile.   
“Rachel? Is everything okay?” Leon asked.  
“Everything is alright, Leon.” Rachel said, looking into his eyes. She suddenly closed hers, her   
eyebrows slightly furrowing. She gently squeezed his hand. She opened her eyes again.   
“Sorry. Contraction…” she said softly.   
“It’s okay Rachel, you can squeeze my hand, or do anything if you feel pain, okay?” Leon said.   
“Thank you Leon.. I feel more comfortable now.” she said. This went on for thirty minutes, until pain was showing on Rachel’s face. She squeezed Leon’s hand harder, breathing heavily. She let out little whimpers of pain. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. The doctors ran one more test on her.   
“Leon.. I’m scared..” Rachel whimpered. Leon stroked her hair.   
“It’s going to be okay Rachel.. I’ll be right here.. Leon said gently. Now he was the one trying to reassure his partner.   
“Miss, I believe it’s time for you to push now.” the doctor said. Rachel nodded, then gave another whimper, this one a bit louder. The doctors gently spread her legs, and put her feet on small, raised platforms. The doctor was telling Rachel about pushing well, Rachel breathing heavily. The doctors got prepared, putting on gloves and taking out an assortment of tools.   
“Alright miss, are you ready?” the doctor asked.   
“Uh huh… yeah..” Rachel mumbled. She let out a yelp of pain.   
“Alright. Push!” the doctor said.


End file.
